KUCHING: The Sarawak Department of Agriculture has been urged to uphold strict biosecurity measures to protect the state’s indigenous rice varieties, even as interest grows in high-yield hybrid paddy farming.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said while hybrid rice offers promising returns, it must not come at the cost of Sarawak’s prized traditional varieties.
“During my visit to the paddy cultivation site in Tanjung Purun, Lundu this morning, I noticed a growing enthusiasm among our elected representatives.
“Many have gone the extra mile, travelling to China, bringing back hybrid seedlings, and inviting experts to share knowledge,” he said.
Dr Rundi was speaking at the ministry’s appreciation ceremony at the Grand Margherita Hotel on Tuesday (Jun 10).
While welcoming innovation, he cautioned against sidelining Sarawak’s indigenous rice heritage.
“The Department of Agriculture must take a firm stand to protect our local paddy varieties. We’re not against hybrids, but anyone who has tasted them will know. They cannot compare with the richness and quality of our indigenous premium rice,” he said.
Hybrid paddy varieties can yield up to 10 metric tons per hectare, compared to just 1 to 1.5 metric tons from traditional types.
However, Dr Rundi stressed that improving the productivity of local varieties should be a priority.
“Our challenge is to enhance production from local varieties to at least five to eight metric tons per hectare.
“That way, we enjoy high-quality rice while still cultivating hybrids for export purposes and beyond our self-sufficiency level (SSL),” he said.
Dr Rundi also called for a mindset shift within the agriculture sector to align with the state’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“We must move towards output-based incentives, rewarding farmers based on their productivity. This will motivate growth, inspire others, and create icons within the farming community,” he added.
